The Heating System Components in a German Car

As any car driver can tell you, your automobile is a combination of a number of different systems that are integrated together in a modern car. In fact, you would be surprised to note that the cooling and heating systems are inter-related with each other. If you are driving through Germany and your car develops any sort of trouble due to overheating, you can always use the Kfzteile24 gutscheincode to get the required service so that your car is working again. Today we are talking about the heating system components in a German car.

Driving can be a Pleasure or a Pain

When we say that driving can be a pleasure or a pain- it entirely depends upon the person behind the wheel. Not only that, the main issue is whether you have checked out your car thoroughly and prepared it and yourself for a long road trip.

A Bit More Lenient

If you are visiting Germany for the first time as a foreigner, then the authorities would be a little more lenient with you than a native German driver that breaks the rules. Thankfully the driving rules in Germany are very well defined and most of the road signs have translations in the English language as well. So there isn’t a very big problem for drivers to understand and follow the rules. However the main issue arises when your car develops different sets of trouble that you cannot handle yourself. That is the time when you wish you knew more of the German language.

Good Help is Always at Hand

But even if you don’t, there is no need to worry. Just turn on Google Maps and find the nearest location of a Kfzteile24 workshop. You can even phone in to them and ask for a tow truck to get your car off the road and transported into the safe hands of a Kfzteile24 car mechanic. Trust us,, these guys are extremely good at what they do. Once they open up the car bonnet or get under the hood, you can be sure that they will have a solution to your problem.

Our Experience with Car Heating Troubles

We have always been a fan of German technology. So we really did not expect that our German car would develop any type of trouble that could not be easily handled. Imagine our surprise when our car complete with automatic transmission just stalled inexplicably on the road. Thankfully it was not on the Autobahn.

We had prepared for just this occurrence in advance and had the number of a Kfzteile24 workshop handy on my smartphone to deal with this instance. We called them up and they sent over a tow truck to move our vehicle to their nearest workshop which thankfully was just a short distance away. In the interim, we also asked a lot of questions regarding the heating system of my car.  

Parts of the Heating System of a Car

Remember how we told you that a car’s heating and cooling systems are inter-related. The car mechanic explained that a car’s heater has two main functions. It not only heats the vehicle and gets its systems in running condition- but it also helps to cool the car engine. What a contradiction this seems!

However, it will all become clear after we explain the key components of the car heating system and how they work together to ensure a good driving experience for both driver and passengers during their designated vehicular destinations.  

Heater Core

This is a tiny radiator that can be seen under the dashboard of the car. It is made up of  an aluminum or brass tubing complete with cooling fins to increase the surface area. It gives a pathway to the hot coolant that gives off heat before returning to the engine’s cooling circuit.

Blower Motor

In modern vehicles, this component is placed inside the dashboard, and is usually found on the side opposite to the steering wheel. In other cars, it may be found inside the engine compartment on the firewall. A blower motor is responsible for running the fan in the heating and air conditioning system of the vehicle.

Heater Hoses

The function of the heater hoses is that they transfer the extra heat, in the form of engine coolant, from the engine of the vehicle into the heater core. Once the hot coolant enters the heater core, it moves through tiny tubes that are inside the heater core.

Heater Control Valve

This component of a car’s heating system is typically placed near the firewall. The HCV is the component that  permits the coolant to travel from the engine to the heater core. This common HVAC system element is a regular part of a modem vehicle.

HVAC Control Panel

HVAC is an acronym for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning. The HVAC control panel in modern vehicles provides the heating of air along with the car’s air conditioning system. The air is heated using the heat from the engine’s cooling system.

How it All Works Together

In a modern car, the heater interacts with the coolant, thermostat, radiator and water pump in the vehicle’s cooling system. The heat generated by the engine needs to be released so that the engine doesn’t get too warm. Most of the heat generated from the car’s engine is released through the exhaust system. However, some of it is transferred into the coolant inside the HVAC system.

This coolant is transferred much in the same manner as refrigerant in an operating air conditioner moves to create cool air. The heater’s core function is to act as a heat exchanger. Hot engine air travels from the radiator to the heater core. It allows coolant to flow through. However, this coolant flow is regulated by the car’s heater control valve. As the engine’s heat is carried by coolant into the heater core, the device starts to get warm.

Depending on the levels at which the HVAC control panel is set, the blower motor will force air over the heater core and into the car’s cabin at the appropriate speed.

The Need for New Coolant

The mechanic explained that it is extremely necessary that the coolant level stays full. Also make sure there are no leaks in the heater hoses.The coolant level should be flushed and refilled regularly, so that the car’s engine is cooled and the car’s cabin can be heated in an efficient manner.

The mechanic stated that it was a good practice to ensure that the coolant in my car should be replaced every 25,000 miles or so. In fact, it was even better to check it more often, say every 10,000 miles. It was the main reason that my car had stalled without warning. 

Inspection of a Car’s Heating System

Since the heater of a car is connected to its engine’s cooling system, you should take your car to a mechanic once you begin experiencing any issues with your vehicle’s heating capabilities.

In fact, you should make it a part of your regular car maintenance schedule.

About the Author

David Miles is a regular long distance driver who is fond of exploring different countries in Europe. He has travelled through France, Belgium and Austria. Ultimately he hopes to find a place to satisfy his desire for gambling at a casino in Monaco or Liechtenstein.

Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash